What a Children’s Bible taught me about faith

One of the stories Sally shared that especially stood out to me was on faith. Growing up in a Christian environment I was blessed in so many ways I am forever grateful. Where we grow up shapes us in many different ways. In many of the churches I attend growing up, faith was a mystical thing that was always measured. It was something that you had to have enough of for God to do what it was that you wanted him to do. Needless to say that led to many disappointing conversations in my head. This disappointment with God, actually was something that came to a cataclysmic head when I went through a season in life where faith as I knew it was rocked. I experienced pain and saw those around me experience pain all of which had a large amount of faith. So what now?

One of the primary ways that God spoke to me durring that time in my life was at night putting my kids to bed and reading them the stories from The Jesus Storybook Bible. It was through the story of Abraham offering Issac that I really truly understood faith for the first time. I love how Sally discribes faith. “Faith is knowing that God loves you and because he loves you, you can trust Him no matter what.” I absolutely love the way Sally talkles faith. Such a misused essental thing that we all must have.

Here is what Sally says in her new book Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing about faith.

Hardly-Even-There Faith
By Sally Lloyd-Jones

When Jesus’s friends asked, “Give us more faith!”, Jesus
told them they already had enough.

Even faith as small as a mustard seed is enough. How small is
a mustard seed? About as small as the period at the end of this
sentence. Jesus said that’s enough faith to uproot a huge tree and
plant it into the sea!

Even the tiniest speak of faith-the little bit you have–so-small-it’s
hardly-even-there-faith-is enough. Enough for you to do whatever
Jesus has asked you to do.

Because it’s not about us and how much faith we have.

It’s about him and how faithful he is!

“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry
tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” Luke 17:6

Love those last couple of lines “Because it’s not about us and how much faith we have. It’s about him and how faithful he is!” So powerful so simple and so true.

About Me

My name is Sam Luce and I have been the children’s pastor at Redeemer Church in Utica NY for the past 18 years. Currently I am serving as the Pastor of families for all our campuses. This is my personal blog it is focused on leadership, children's ministry and creativity.